One Save At a Time
by gathers-no-moss
Summary: “Should?” She forced a crazy laugh down her throat. “That's not really a word that invokes a lot of confidence.” Lois and Clark find themselves in a dangerous predicament on New Year's Eve.


**Title: **One Save At a Time  
**Category: **Smallville  
**Prompt: **New Years Eve/Day  
**Rating: **PG  
**Summary: **"This isn't exactly what I had in mind for a New Year's Eve celebration." Lois and Clark find themselves in a dangerous predicament.  
**Spoilers: **None  
**Author's Notes: **Written for the 12 days of clois - New Years Challenge. I was listening to the song "I Shall Not Walk Alone" by Ben Harper and The Blind Boys of Alabama, when this idea suddenly appeared. It's a beautiful song, if you ever have the chance to listen to it. Any mistakes are my own.

-----------------------------------

_New Years Eve: 11:55 pm _

A sharp gasp escaped from his lips as he fought against the blankness that wanted to swallow him whole. His brain yearned for it, an escape from the excruciating pain traveling at breakneck speed throughout his entire body. Nausea settled into his stomach as fresh tears sprang into his eyes. He clinched his teeth in agony as another burning spasm erupted. This time he couldn't help but let out a strangled cry as his body twitched. The movement made him slide that much more off the edge, sending dirt and rock raining down. And she was that much closer to the unforgiving ground beneath them. But he managed to tighten his hold, clinging to her wrists in an iron grip. His muscles screamed as a consequence, but he didn't falter in his determination even as his fingers trembled with the effort.

A panicked albeit weakened voice called into the dark. "Lois?"

But then she coughed and he relaxed ever so slightly when she managed to squeeze his fingers in reassurance. She wheezed a few more seconds before calling up to him, lifting her head to his voice. "I'm okay. Most of the rocks missed me. It's just the dirt that's pilling on top of me now."

Guilt dripped from his voice as he squeezed his eyes closed for just a second, feeling the ache spread to his bones. "I'm sorry. I just. . . .it's painful. . . ."

The moan that followed cut deep into her and she winced in sympathy. "I know," she whispered. "And no more apologizing. This isn't your fault." _Clark's dying. He's dying while trying to keep me from dying. __Life they name is irony. _She clenched her jaw to kill the sob in her throat, although she allowed a tear to streak down her cheek_. _This moment of weakness came, but only for a second. That's all she was going to let it they were going to beat this. Nothing and no one messed with Lois and Clark. They were too strong she closed her eyes tightly, breathing deeply, trying to calm her rapid heartbeat as she fought to rid her stomach of the sheer black fright that seemed to have taken up residence there. When she spoke again her voice held a deceptive calmness that even she would believe. "Anymore plans running around up there? Because I've gotta tell ya, I'm all out down here."

"One's forming." But the words were coated with more confidence than he felt. The course of action would have to be good enough so that he could combine all his strength into one forward motion. Because that would be all they had. Every time his body moved even an inch, he could feel the piece of kryptonite wedging itself deeper and deeper into his thigh. He didn't dare let go of one of her hands to pull it out. Didn't trust himself not to let her slip from his grasp in a second of weakness. But even with both hands holding tightly to hers, he knew that it was only the adrenaline running through his veins and his inherent determination and stubbornness that kept Lois from falling to her death.

A deep steadying breathe left his lungs even as a suffocating sensation entered into his body. He plunged into telling her what he wanted to do. "I'm going to try pulling you up as far as the ledge. And then I want you to grab on to it with both hands. It should hold you long enough so that I reach down and pull you the rest of the way up by your upper arms."

"Should?" She forced a crazy laugh down her throat. "That's not really a word that invokes a lot of confidence."

"It _will_ hold you." And this time, the confidence wasn't fake.

Didn't sound fake to her either. A mixture of hope and fear took hold of her mind. _This. . . .This was the man she knew_. _What had to be done, had to be done at all cost._ _He would never give up on her._ "That's better. So my question for you is, do you have enough strength left to make this happen?"

"I don't have a choice."

"Smallville. . . ."

He ignored the warning in her tone. "Just hang on. Give me a second."

Her mouth tightened into a grimace as a shiver swept over her body. She swayed ever so slightly. "That's all I _can_ do."

"Please, don't joke," he answered faintly, but there was a sharpness to his words that made her sit up and pay attention, for lack of better wording. Her grimace curved into a tentative smile as she apologized.

"Sorry." But the silence that followed only served to tighten the knot in her stomach. And her heart dropped every time she heard a noise from above; a deeply guttural moan or a tormented gasp for air. Her body winced in tandem with every sound. She felt shame building inside her, because if anyone was to blame for this, it would be her. Forget what she has said to Clark earlier. This 'predicament' was her responsibility, but he was the one saving her as always. She just hoped when the time came, she could return the favor. Her mind turned these thoughts over and over until the knowledge was so twisted and turned inside her, that she didn't know what to do. The silence between them was deafening and anything she could do to mask the inner turmoil from him was the way to go. Mindless chatter saved the day.

"This isn't exactly what I had in mind for a New Year's Eve celebration." He grunted in response and she took that as a sign to continue as he built what energy he could up. "My plans included a lot of kissing. Dancing. Kissing. Alcohol. More kissing." She swore she could almost hear him smiling at her attempt at levity, but at that very instant, a sharp wind collided with her body, crashing her into the side of the cliff. The jarring pain left her stunned, blinking back stars from her eyes as a few stubborn tears fell down her cheeks.

His eyes darted over the edge. "Lois!?" His grip intensified (if that were possible) as his arms followed the motion of her body awkwardly. He felt her pulse beating fast but steady beneath his fingertips. His heart jumped when she didn't answer right away. But then a faint, if slightly annoyed voice greeted his ears.

"I'm. . . ."

It wasn't enough. "Lois!? Talk to me!"

"I'm okay. I'm okay," she sputtered, trying to bring her breathing under control. That was just what she needed. Something else to send her nerves topsy-turvy.

For just that moment, he sighed in relief. "Good." Then it was back to business. "I'm ready to do this. Are you?"

"Yes, but if you're too weak we shouldn't try this. We're Lois and Clark. Surely we can find another way." Her voice became softer, quieter and he could tell she was fighting a mental struggle that probably matched his physical one. "I don't want to hurt you."

"I'm not going to let you die."

"I know." She captured his eyes with hers, piercing the distance between them. "That's mutual."

He nodded, bracing himself, a look of resolve coloring his face. _This was going to work._ _He needed this woman. _"If that's under control. . . .on the count of three."

"One."

Lois readied herself, her muscles jumping for release. "Two."

This night was about to be over; one way or the other.

"Three."

And then she was being yanked up and for a second it felt like flying.

"Come one. Come one." Clark clenched his jaw, fighting through the torture. He could hear slices of rock falling down around her.

"Almost." She freed her left hand, clawing at the edge until she found a grip she figured could hold her. "Got it. I'm letting go of your other hand now." And then she was dangling off the edge of the cliff without his support, her hands digging into rock, she was now quite uncertain about. Her stomach clenched as she waited for his return. The seconds ticked by but no Clark. Panic set in. "I don't want to alarm you, but I'm fairly certain I can feel my grip slipping. . . ." And then he appeared, grabbing her upper arms, hauling her the rest of the way up and safely away from the edge.

Her turn now. He collapsed once she was safely away from the edge, unable to do anything else but curl his body into a fetal position. His breathing coming in shallow, quick gasps as he spoke. "I need you. . . ."

"Where? Where?" Kneeling beside him, she searched his body with her eyes, _damn the darkness_, running her hands along his body frantically. _Please, don't let me be too late. Please to any god out there._

"My right thigh."

Her hand touched the rough edge of the green rock as he spoke, her wild eyes meeting his. "On the count of three."

"Just do it."

Lois braced on hand on his stomach for leverage, lines of concentration deepening across her forehead. "One. . . .two. . . ." She yanked hard and Clark's body jerked in response as he let out a silent scream. Quickly, she threw it over the edge and a distant thud echoed as it disappeared. His body relaxed almost instantly, the pain slowly fading away. She could see this, but her fears weren't alleviated just yet as she eyed his blood leaking from the wound. It didn't take a super power to hear the pounding inside her chest. "Was that all of it? You can't feel it anymore, can you?"

He managed a small smile, feeling his breathing evening out with every second that passed. "No, it's gone. Thanks." An inadequate word if they ever was one, in his opinion. He pulled himself to a sitting position, placing his hand over the blood flow.

Her hand trembled with eagerness as it held tight to his other one, a very nice switch from before when they'd been hanging on for life. She grinned in response, feeling warmth creep back into her body as she leaned into his. _He sounded so good._ Tears were free-falling as she spoke. She didn't bother wiping them away because now she could show him this side of her. They were safe now. "It's the least I could do since you just saved me from certain death." She ran her fingers through his wind blown hair, not fathoming the idea of any lifetime without him. "I guess you can call us even."

Clark had come so close to losing her tonight. Too close, in his opinion. There wasn't anything in this world he wanted more than to spend the rest of his life by this amazing woman's side. In the back of his mind he could hear the countdown begin. And far be it for him to break tradition. Even after tonight. Especially after tonight.

_Ten. _"You know, this wasn't exactly what I had planned for tonight either."

_Nine. Eight. _Her eyes twinkled and he imagined she was on to his secret. And all too eager to play the game. "It couldn't have possibly been as exciting as mine."

"I had a lot more kissing planned."

_Seven. Six. _

Her grin turned wicked as she curled her hand around the back of his neck. "I wonder if it's midnight yet."

_Five._

"Almost." He untangled his hand from hers to brush a strand of hair out her face.

_Four. Three._

She leaned down, her lips inches from his.

"Happy New Year's." Another year survived.

_Two. One._

Fireworks.

~THE END~


End file.
